Automobile bumper



July 2.9, 1930. E. H. MccLoUD 1,771,580

' AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Filed Novf 9. 1929 Patented July 29, 1930 nutren STATES EDWARD H. McoLoUn, or COLUMBUS, omo

AUTOMOBILE nuMrEn n ,i

Application filed November e, `leze. vserial No. acutezza` My invention relates to automobile `bump- 'ers.\ t It is the object of invention to provide an automobile bumper in which there will be an equal distribution of impacts and theriiorce thereoi1 on t-he severalparts of the bumper with respect to the frame members of the vehicle to Which the bumper is attached.

It is a further vobject to provide a bumper in Which, due to thisdistribution of impacts, there Will be no resulting spreading of the frame of the vehicle.

It is a further object to provide lfor spring support of the bumper centrally andat the ends and for distributing the impact onopposite sides of the frame memberand on opposite endsol:I 'the support for the free ends ot the bumper and for the central supporting means ofthe bumper. f Y

Itis afurther objectl to provide a bumper in` Which there may be a distribution of the impact equal on both sides of the frame ends and upon both frame endsvvithout having a continuous back bar andvvithout'preventing" access to the automobile tor crank it andwithout preventing the carrying of avspare tire between the vehicle and ,the `bumper Within the bumper. A

It is a further object to provide a bumper in which any impact imparted'to the central support of the bumper Will be transmitted'to a yielding member carried on the vehicle frame at a point vvithintbe frame between the frame members in counterbalance to the impact imparted to the bumper which is transmitted through the ends of the bumper to the other ends of the said member which serves to support the bumper on the frame.

Referring to the drawings: l

Figure 1 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure'2 is a front elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a `section on the line 3-@3 of Figur-e 2;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4'of Figure 1; y

Figure 5 is a section on theline 5-5 of Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 and 2 represent frame members on which are mounted the pads 3 that carry clamps 4 which are retained on `the pads 3 by the bolts 5. These pads support spr-ing plate supporting bars 6 flat against the end of the frames 1 and 2. It will be noted that one endlot the support 6 is formed into an eye Tand is mounted upon the bolt 8 upon which arealso mounted the eyes 9 of the upper and lowerbumper bars 10. `Theeye 7 serves as a spacer betweenthe eyes 9 of the bars 10. The tightening of the nut 11 on the boltSlserves'to' hold thesev ends vertical in position with one another but to permit rotation around the bolts in horizontal planes. i i i f The inner end of thesupporting bar 6, as

Ait 12, provides aspring bar for, supporting through the rivet 13V the inner end of the spring support and buder plate 1 4 which is provided With a side ,loop `15 andan inward extension 16that`is connected to the endl12 ot the bar 6 by therivet 13.-

The center of this innerspring member '14 .Which is located in a-planehorizontally approximately between the bumper barsl() is connected by thebolt 17 and nut i18 with i the center clamp 19 tothe rontbumper barsV 10, thus positioning them, supporting them and receiving the shock of impact With them.

It Will be noted that there is appreciable space between the ends of bars 12 and 16 so that readyaccess to the front of the car `for cranking the engine is possible; and further, if the bumper is used on the rear of the car vthere is sulicient space Within the member 14 to accommodate a tire.` 5 i i In operation, `any impact on the bumper bars 10 and 10 Will be distributedso't-hat one portion Will travel to one side of the bumper and the other lto another` side of the bumper. Such portions Will again be divided, one part of the impact lexingithe member 14, curved portion 15, bar 16 and bar 12', While another portion of the impact Will lexthe front bars 10 and the supporting bars 6.v This flexing can be proportioned so that both parts or groups of parts on either side ofthe frame member will vcarry`approximately'half ot' the load thus equalizingand distributing the im- -pact and tending to prevent twistingof the ITO fsuppdrt'ing ba frame. I-Ieretofore, the connecting of the impact bars directed to the frame members through a triangular construction has provided a very rigid structure Which would not 'give except by spreading the frame member.

By transmitting this force on bothV sides of the respective frame members thev shock is largelytake'n up by the resilient components of the bumper instead of its being transmitted into the frame to injure or spread the` frame of the vehicle. Y

' It Will be understood that I desire t0 .Comprehend Within my invention.suclf'nodiiicm tions as may be clearly embracedl Within the scope of my claims and intention.

Having' thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to vsecure by LettersPatent, is: Y

l-. In a bumper, framemembers, bumper supporting members- 'extending` acrossv the frame members Yon either side of the end thereof, a bumper means connectedto the outside en'ds of said supporting members, additional bumper supporting means connected to the endsy of the first bumper supporting members lon' thefinside offthe'frame members v f, Y, y Y r 2. In a bumper, frame members, bumper supporting members `ejrtericli'irg a'cross'the frame members oneitherY side' ofthe end thereof, a bumper means' connected' to the outside ends of sai'd supporting members, additional l,bumper supporting means connected to the ends' of,Y the,bumper"supporting members on the inside of the frame members and the bumper means.

' l3; In a bumper, framemembers, bumper supporting membersV extending across the frame members "on either side' of the en'd thereof, ay bumper means' connected to the Voutsidefjends of said' supporting men'ibers, addi-tional bumper supporting means connected to the endsof the bumper supporting members on the inside of the frame' members and to the bumper at the center of the buinper means. y

4.' In' a bumper, framemembers, bumper supporting members extending across the frame members on either side of the end thereof, a bumperincaus connected to the outside ends of said supporting n'i'einbers, additional bumper supporting means connected tothe* e "si of the bumper-supporting menrb'ers ori the5 i1 fide of the Vfra'me"mtnrbeis aiid to the bumper means ait the center ofthe b'iinpeir betiifeei the frame'vme i fr meinenibers,

thereof on'e'th Y nectd't both endsof said sul'iport' i oii both sides ofeach fraineniember n' hereby vthe impact on the Abtinipn will be distributed on either side of, each framel member, the inner ends of said supporting-bars' being i from one another,v

frame members, spring supporting plates extending across the ends thereof, bumper bars connected to the outside ends of said spring plates and an inner spring bumper member ,comprising end plates, U-shaped ends and integrally extending members connected to theV inner ends of said spring plates in substantially parallel relationship' thereto.r

8. In combination in a bumper, spaced frame members, springl supporting plates eX- tending across Ithe ends thereof,- bumper bars connected to the outside ends of sai'd spring plates,-an'v inner spring bumper' comprising end plates, U-shaped end's and integrally cx tending ymembers connected to the inner ends of said spring plates' in substantially parallel relationship thereto at points With-in said frame members'.

9. In combination ina bumper,- spaced frame members,-spring supportingplates extending across the ends thereof, bumper bars connected to the out-side ends o'f said spring plates, an inner spring bumper member comprising'end plates, U-shaped ends and integrally extending members connected to the inner endsof said spring plates in substantially parallel. relationship thereto at points Within said frame members but spaced l0. In combination, spaced frame members, supporting plates mounted on the ends there of extending on either side of th'e frame members/arcuate bumper bars pivotally ca-rried on the ends of the supporting members and means for rigidly attaching the center portion of saidv bumper bars to the inner ends of said` supporting members.v

' 11. In combination,spaced frame' members, supporting plates mounted on the ends thereof extending on either si de of the frame members, arcuate bumper bars pivotally carried onA the 'ends of the supporting-.members and means forrigidly attaching the center portion-of said bumper-bars tothe inner ends of said supporting members, said means comlpri a 'tl-shaped spring plate member.

l2. ln combination, spaced fra-me mem"- bers, vertically disposed supporting spring plates mounted across the ends thereof,`bu`nfip3 erV barspiyot-e'don the outside ends ofsaid plates and a springplate memberconnecte'," to' said bumper bars adjacent the -l'niddle thereot and having U-shaped ends with integrally turned en ds permanently attached to the inner` ends ot the supporting spring plates.

13. In combination, spaced frame members, vertically disposed `supperting spring plates mounted across the ends thereof, bumper bars pivoted on the outside ends o1"- said plates and a spring plate member connected to said bumper bars adjacent the mid. die thereof and having U-sha-ped ends with integrally turned ends permanently attached to the inner ends of the supporting spring plates, the inner ends oit said supporting spring plates being arranged to engage therewith in parallel relationship. Y

14. In a bumper, spaced frame members, impact members having their ends turned rearwardly, an inner buffer member having its ends turned rearwardly and inwardly and supporting spring plates mounted on the frame member ends and connected respectively to the buffer member and the impact members respectively at points outside of and between the frame members.

15.` In a bumper, spaced trame members, impact members having their ends turned rearwardly, an inner buffer member having its ends turned rearwardly and inwardly and supporting spring plates mounted on the frame member ends and connected respec tively to the butter member and the impact members respectively atpoints outside of and between the frame members and means for attaching saidimpact members to one another at the mid point of each.

16. In a bumper, spaced frame members, supporting spring plates extending across the ends thereof but spaced from each other, an impact receiving means pivoted to the outer ends of said plates and a butler means connected to said impactv receiving vmeans andto the inner ends of said spring plates, whereby, when said impact receiving means flex` the outer ends of the spring plates the butter means will bend the inner ends oi the spring plates.

17. In a bumper, spaced frame members, supporting spring plates extendingv across the ends thereof but spacedv from each other, an impact ,receiving means pivoted `to the outer ends of said plates and a buffer means connected to the impact receiving means and to the inner ends of said spring plates whereby, when said impact receiving means flex, they will bend the outer ends of the spring plates and the butler means will bend the in ner ends of the spring plates, said bilder meansand spring plates being inthe same plane.

18. In a bumper, spaced trame members, supporting spring plates extending across the ends thereof but spaced from each other, an impact receivingmeans pivoted to the outer ends ot' said plates and a butler means connected to the impact receiving means and to the inner ends of said spring plates, whereby,

when said impact receiving means iex, they will bend the outer ends of the spring plates and the butler means will bend the inner ends of the spring plates, said buffer means and 

